Many electrical connectors are designed to have a contact with a contact surface pressed against an electrical conductor cable under spring force inherent in the flexibility of the contact itself. Often, it is desirable to effect a "wiping" action between the contact and the conductor whereby the contact surface is wiped along the conductor, as a result of which contaminants on the mating surfaces are removed. This often is accomplished by providing the connector with a two-part housing, such as a connector block and a cover member, wherein the cover member is affixed to the connector block by a sliding action or by a swiveling action. Swiveling-type constructions are quite cumbersome and do not lend themselves to a very compact package. Sliding constructions usually effect a sliding action between the cover member and the connector block generally parallel to or oblique to the wiping action of the contact surfaces and, consequently, the wiping forces are not considerable in a direction normal to the surfaces. For instance, in some applications, not only is it desirable to remove contaminants by the wiping action, but a substantially gas-tight connection is desired, and such connectors cannot provide sufficient normal forces to effect that tight of a connection.
These types of connectors often are useful for flexible flat conductor cables which carry a multiplicity of individual conductors parallel to each other in a common plane. Flat conductor cables often are used in printed circuit board applications or the like and, consequently, have other specified design criteria.
For instance, it is desirable to provide strain relief on the cable to secure the cable in extreme environmental conditions and to prevent any possible intermittent operation or failure of the circuits.
In addition, it is desirable to insert the cables into the connectors with zero insertion force. This often is provided by extensions on the flexible contacts or by the use of specialized tools to raise the spring-loaded contacts from the mating surfaces of the connector block or cover.
Combining all of these features into a single connector creates considerable problems and dilemmas when it is desirable to provide a very compact connector for use in confined environments or simply to reduce the cost and complexity of the connector construction. This invention is directed to solving these problems by providing an electrical connector which effects a wiping action between a contact and the cable with high normal contact forces, while providing strain relief for the cable and zero insertion force for inserting the cable into proper position in the connector.